How to Watch MLB Baseball Online without Cable

Baseball is America’s pastime. So it is no wonder that fans of the sport might be reticent to cut the cord and miss out on every inning of every major league game. But you don’t have to. There are several ways you can now watch baseball online without cable. If you want to watch the MLB live stream, this guide will walk you through all of the best options available so you can follow your favorite team all season.

MLB games air nationally on ESPN, FOX, FS1, TBS and MLB Network. All of these networks are available without cable. Additionally, many games air on regional networks local to your area – so, your local team’s games will air mostly on a regional network in your area, with some games also being broadcast nationally. These regional networks (typically FOX Sports or CSN) are now widely available without cable.

Below, we will go over all the ways you can watch MLB online legally without cable. At the end of this guide, we also have links to our baseball streaming guides for each specific team, so you can learn more about watching your local MLB team all season long.

DIRECTV NOW is a live streaming service from AT&T that acts as a cable TV replacement. You get most of the same channels cable offers, but there’s no contract and it’s all streaming over your internet connection. It’s a great service in general, and there is great news for baseball fans who want to watch baseball online without cable.

DIRECTV NOW offers all the important nationally broadcast networks that host MLB games: ESPN, ESPN2, FOX, FS1, TBS and MLB Network. In addition, regional FOX Sports and CSN networks are available for fans living near their teams, for the following MLB teams:

Arizona Diamondbacks

Atlanta Braves

Chicago Cubs

Chicago White Sox

Cincinnati Reds

Cleveland Indians

Detroit Tigers

Kansas City Royals

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

Miami Marlins

Milwaukee Brewers

Minnesota Twins

New York Yankees

Oakland Athletics

St. Louis Cardinals

San Diego Padres

San Francisco Giants

Tampa Bay Rays

Texas Rangers

There are only a few teams missing, but you can see there are ways to watch many of your favorites with the service. Basically, DIRECTV NOW offers the regional sports network for the above teams. So, if you live near your favorite team, you can watch their MLB games online live on the appropriate regional channel.

DIRECTV NOW starts out at $35 per month for their 60+ channel package. All packages include several key baseball channels that provide the MLB live stream and that are available nationwide, like ESPN and FOX. Regional sports network availability varies, but most channels are available nationwide.

While new details are constantly being released, one of the neatest features is a grid-style guide more like the ones used for cable or satellite. But DIRECTV NOW doesn’t need a satellite connection to work. Just a high speed internet connection and you’re ready to watch MLB streaming live. Read our review of DIRECTV NOW here.

Another streaming option for fans to watch MLB online without cable is Sling TV from Dish Network. Like DIRECTV NOW, it gives fans multiple ways to watch their favorite teams streaming live without a cable connection.

Sling TV has several different packages starting at only $20 per month with no contract. These packages include the ESPN family of networks, the FOX Sports family of networks, and other channels that offer MLB streaming like TBS. Depending on your team, check out which package option works best for you, but know that the FOX regional sports networks are only available in certain markets. Sling TV also carries CSN Sports Networks in markets across the country, so regional coverage is expanding. That means you can watch baseball online and catch all the national games as well as watch your local team in the majority of MLB markets.

Sling TV works with a variety of streaming players available including Roku (it’s a great way to watch live TV on Roku), Fire TV, Chromecast, and Apple TV. They often have deals on discounts or free players, so check those out. And you can watch on your phone, tablet, or computer. Read our review here for full info.

PlayStation Vue is another excellent method you can use to stream MLB online. It offers many of the most important MLB streaming channels, including most regional networks.

Like its competition, Vue offers several options to watch baseball online without cable. Their basic packages start at $39.99, so it does have the highest starting price of any of the streaming services on this list.

Another great option for getting the MLB stream is to use fuboTV. This new service was originally designed specifically for sports fans, but it’s since expanded into a complete cable alternative. It offers 40+ channels for $35 per month, with no contract.

fuboTV is useful to watch MLB games online because it offers FOX Sports regional networks, and CSN regional networks. When you sign up, you’ll get your local regional sports channel, which offers live coverage of your favorite local teams – both for MLB, NBA, NHL and more. Channel availability for these regional networks varies depending on where you live. So if you want to watch baseball online and follow your local team only, fuboTV is an option worth considering.

In addition to the regional networks, you’ll also be able to get other MLB live stream for non-local teams, because fuboTV also offers FS1, NBCSN, NBA TV, FX and many more. It’s mostly sports-focused, but there are enough other general channels to keep the whole family happy. Check out our fuboTV review to learn more.

Watch MLB Streaming for Out of Market Teams with MLB.TV

There is another super cool option for MLB fans, especially those who might have moved out of their hometown but still want to watch their favorite teams, like this Detroit Tigers’ fan living in North Carolina.

MLB.TV the official streaming service for Major League Baseball. For just $112.99 per year, or $24.99 per month for a monthly subscription, you can stream all out of market regular season games. For just one team, you can get their $87.49 single-team package. Games airing in your local market will be blacked out, but if you’ve relocated this could be a great option to watch baseball online without cable.

Sure, MLB.TV can’t be a complete cable replacement, but it can give you options to watch MLB online using Roku, Apple TV, and most of the other available streaming devices.

Laura M. LaVoie resides in a 120 square foot house in the mountains of Western North Carolina. There she has a solid internet connection and access to some of the best craft beer in the country. Email her at lauralavoie@streamingobserver.com.Disclosure: Streaming Observer is supported by readers. Articles may contain referral links. For more information, see the disclosure at the bottom of the page.